Friday, December 26, 2008

The postman came to deliver a 50-ounce reservoir for the pet fountain I'd gotten Evvie. She must've slipped out the door while I was taking the thing. She never went out in the front yard, only in the back, where she stayed inside the fence with Max.

The first inkling I had that something was wrong was a scuffle in the bushes outside the office. I heard a growl and a larger scuffle, and ran outside without even realizing why. There were the two dogs from across the street, Sammy and Veruca, with Evvie in between them.

They broke her back, or her neck. At any rate, it was quick. I chased Veruca out of the yard and across the neighbor's yard--she had Evvie in her mouth--and managed to scare her off on the other side of Preacher Paul's yard. Evvie was already dying at that point.

She didn't seem to be hurting. She was stretched out on her side, breathing slowly, and I petted her head and told her she was a good kitty and that I was there with her. She coughed three times, I guess because she started to fibrillate, and then her body relaxed and she was dead.

It's not all that different with a cat than it is with a human.

The woman--girl, really--who was in the house was much more freaked out than I was. I don't blame her, or the dogs...the dogs were doing what their breeds *do*. They hopped a huge chain-link fence to get out and run around, and Evvie just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I wrapped Evinrude up in a pillowcase and buried her in the back yard, in a corner of the garden. Maybe I'll put some horrible little cat statue over her grave. In the meantime, though, there are cement stepping-stones over it to keep Max from digging. He was quite confused and concerned about the whole thing.

Evvie was thirteen. She was a horrible cat. She never caught a mouse in her life, and was prone to slash and bite without warning. Occasionally she would deign to let some privileged human, like Chef-Boy, pet her while she was on their lap. She hated dogs, vacuum cleaners, and brooms. She peed on the rug and scattered her food and water everywhere. She shed like a beast.

Just before the postman knocked, she was stretched out, full-length, on my belly. She was letting me play with her paws, and purring. I'm glad she didn't die when I was pissed off at her, or when she had an empty belly or was cold. I loved her, in spite of her.

24 comments:

So sorry about Evvie, that must have been a horrible experience to see her killed. I'm more of a blamer than you I guess, it make me angry when people let their dogs run loose. I looked back and found her picture on your Aug. 10th entry.

Nancy, the folks across the street didn't let their dogs run loose. In fact, they'd just put in a new fence, since the dogs could climb the old one. Sammy and Veruca managed to hop over the new one, too...

I don't blame the dogs, or the people. The people did what they could, but the dogs were more agile than anybody thought they would be.

I just hate to see an animal killed....or put down, even if it is necessary. They are such a part of our lives. So sorry about you kitty. Hopefully she's playing with one of my cat's who have gone on to kitty heaven.

Evvie may have hated lesser humans, but she loved you, and Chef-Boy, and me. And I loved her. And I love you. And I'm so glad I heard part of a BBC interview on my way home tonight in which Bishop Desmond Tutu answered the question, "Do you ever get depressed," with, "I get angry. And the relationship God has with us allows for that anger, thankfully."

I am so sorry, Jo. What a sad thing. She had a pretty long life, and was loved and cared for, and that might be of some comfort to you. So many kitties don't ever have that, so your Evinrude was a lucky girl.I will make a donation to our local humane society up here in chilly Canada in her honour.

I'm so sorry about your cat. Losing a pet can be like losing an appendage, I think. It's very big-hearted of you not to blame or even be angry with the neighbors, though I know you're right that it wasn't anybody's fault, including the doggies'. Equally big-hearted is your acceptance of and love for Evvie in all of her singular cat-ness.And it seems brave of you to write about it, too.Anyway, I hope you can be comforted a bit by the fact that you gave her a great life.

I am truly sorry about your cat. How traumatic for you and your family. The kittens I have been fostering lost their Mum the same way. Between two dogs. I too own a dog, and love him. Yet if he killed a cat I would have him euthanised. Why? because unfortunately once dogs get a taste for killing cats they can continue, and I wouldn't trust my dog again. As you say it what dog's do. Yet it isnt acceptable. The owners of the dogs must be horrified, they have a huge responsibility upon them now.It's very sad both ways.